Introducing This Page

This page provides links to national websites that are aimed at helping people in our community with the treatment of depression.

Targeting the 13 to 24 year age group

Targeting the 13-24 year age group, thelowdown website provides information that will allow users to identify depression in themselves and others, better understand it and get help for it through a variety of interactive online tools.

The Lowdown Team of qualified counsellors can be accessed through the site, via free text (5626) and email. After sending a message by email or text to a counsellor they will receive a personalised response as quickly as possible, and within 12 hours.

The site also promotes the use self-help strategies such as exercise, which can be helpful for dealing with mild and moderate depression.

A welcoming community environment, the site features high profile Kiwi role-models, who youth relate to, talking about experiences with depression that they, or friends and family, have had and how they managed this. The contributions from musicians, sports people, and TV and radio celebrities help remove the stigma around depression and encourage young people to get help.

The website features several innovative functions to help visitors navigate the site and more importantly, help them feel they are not alone. They can choose from 4 online guides to show them around the environment. They can view video stories from role-models, and their peers, talking about their experiences of depression and offering words of encouragement and support.

The website also has a forum where visitors can join thelowdown community and talk to each other about how they are feeling. People can share their experiences and offer support to their peers. To ensure that users are kept safe, the forum is monitored by an online moderator.

It is important for people who are experiencing depression to get help as early as possible, it is also important for them to find a treatment that works for them. To assist this process a host of useful information and advice is available, with fact sheets, Frequently Asked Questions, a self assessment questionnaire and details of other help services.

Crisis phone services

Youthline

Lifeline

www.lifeline.org.nz
Freephone 0800 543 354
Your local mental health services crisis response team (listed under 'Hospitals and other Health Service Providers' in the green section of your local phone book)
For further support call 0800 111 757.

Related Links

General information about depression

Additional resources can be found at:

www.mentalhealth.org.nz - Phone 09 300 7010
Note: The resource centre at the Mental Health Foundation at 81 New North Road Auckland has a wide range of books and other resources for loan, about all facets of mental health.